Gabrielle Russon
Traveling from Main Street, U.S.A., Mickey Mouse helped open the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Thursday.
Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger officially rang the bell to start the markets in honor of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary.
Famous faces Mickey and Minnie joined Josh D’Amaro, who oversees the theme parks and has been rumored to be Iger’s successor when he retires, to appear alongside Iger.
On social media, Disney fans offered their commentary about Iger’s honorary duties at NYSE.
“Making magic for the shareholders,” one person wrote on X.
“Mickey’s winning today,” another wrote.
The original Disney theme park is celebrating its big milestone through the Summer of 2026.
Disneyland, the “Happiest Place on Earth” is the second-most popular park in the world, according to an industry report. The king is Disney World, which celebrated its 50th anniversary Oct. 1, 2021.
Iger reflected on the park’s legacy and Walt Disney.
“He wanted people to ‘leave their daily frets behind,’ as he said … and come experience, you know, the wonder of fantasy and adventure,” Iger said in an interview on “Good Morning America” this week.
Iger described the company’s founder as a “dreamer,” a “futurist” and a “visionary.”
For 70th anniversary festivities, Disney recently released a look at the Walt Disney animatronic that will be debuting at a “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” attraction in Anaheim.
Disney — which has a fan base known for their fierce love of the parks but who aren’t afraid to debate and criticize — captured mixed reactions on the animatronic likeness to the legendary leader.
“You guys would screw up the most important animatronic in Disney history! Unbelievable. Poor Walt,” one person wrote on X.
“We know he is cryogenically frozen and sealed beneath Cinderella’s Castle,” another joked.
“Don’t listen to the people on the internet who live to complain. It’s good!” someone else wrote on X.
